One Piece of Life
by strawberryzoros
Summary: A collection of ficlets of varying length, genre, and style. Updated whenever inspiration strikes. Different POVs. Rated for language.
1. An Old Man's Regrets, Garp POV

**An Old Man's Regrets (Garp POV)**

**angst / tragedy**

**Spoilers for episode 459 and onwards.**

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><p>He's still that kid in my eyes. The little infant that I secretly took under my wing—the forbidden son of my sworn arch-enemy-turned-almost-friend. The one I hid in the hands of mountain bandits, but never really left in my thoughts.<p>

He was five when I took him on that first camping trip in the woods, ten when I stopped because I had my hands full with my other grandson. Thirteen when I started taking them both out together.

He's still that kid in my eyes. The child that I acted as the official guardian for in the eyes of the law, the one I treated like my own. The boy I left my insolent grandson with, who soon started regarding him as his own brother. Ever since my wife died and my son left, those two kids have been the only thing I had.

It's unthinkable that one of them is about to die.

Don't get me wrong—I know how this world works. The main reason I wanted the two of them to become Marines was to avoid a situation like this. Ever since I failed with that, I haven't gone one day without thinking about the day one of them is going to have to face this punishment. I've had all the preparation in the world, and yet I'm not ready. I don't think I'll ever be.

Today it's Ace's turn. Little Ace, who always doubted his own worth and sailed the seas to find someone who wanted him to be alive. _He's found them_, I think, as I look down at the Whitebeard pirates and their allies who are doing everything they can, fighting with everything they have just one step below us.

And then there's me, who can't do anything at all.

I debated with Sengoku long and hard if I'd even be here today, but finally concluded that I needed to be here. Anything would be better than to sit around without knowing what was happening – or to watch it on a screen, which would be even worse. So that's why I'm sitting here, on the execution platform beside the kid that finally overcame the darkness within him but now has to repent for his sins in the eyes of the public. And I just want to punch him and hold him and say that everything will be okay, but it won't and I told you so and can you please forgive me.

My boy is going to die in this very spot and I'll be watching, together with the rest of the world.

He took the wrong path, the path that he was destined to take but that I tried to forcibly lead him away from and failed. He's going to get punished for that right now – for his own choices – but I somehow feel like this is my fault as well and that this is the worst punishment I could ever get.

Many times, I've found myself wishing that I could take his place. And just as many times, the logical part of my brain has told me that I both can't and shouldn't. Ace is going to have to die no matter what.

He's still that kid in my eyes. The one who I now know will never get past 20. The one who won't even get to live half the time of my life, and how horribly unfair that is. His death will be broadcasted all over the world, and said world will rejoice at the sight. His death will bring their hope back. An old man's tears aren't worth a thing to that.

But he's still that kid in my eyes, and fate has dealt him the worst hand possible for the end.

Ace. Little Ace.

I have loved him like my own. I still do. And I'm willing to forgive him for anything—anything he's ever done.

Anything… except for dying.


	2. A Proper Reaction, Luffy POV

**A Proper Reaction (Luffy POV)**

**general / friendship**

**Spoilers for episode 313, 314, and 493.**

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><p>It's not every day you learn your father's name for the first time.<p>

Luffy had never really reflected over the fact that he didn't have parents like most other people. He had his grandfather, and then he had his brothers, and his foster mother, and now his crew. That was it. He had never felt any need for anyone else—never even known what he didn't have. He had definitely not known that he had a father who apparently was alive and well, whatever that meant.

He also didn't have the faintest idea who Dragon, the Revolutionary was.

This person was apparently a big deal, considering the surprised exclamations and stunned faces all around him. Even his own crew looked thunderstruck, Nami saying something about the man being a "completely outrageous man". It seemed that everyone knew his father for some reason or another.

Now that was a bit unsettling—how something like this unexpectedly was revealed, a bit of his past that he hadn't thought significant before. Perhaps he should have more of a reaction? Was this something huge that he needed to know of? Luffy glanced around at the dumbstruck faces, one after another, until he reached Zoro's. The swordsman appeared entirely calm, face reflecting nothing out of the ordinary. He was just standing there in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest, unimpressed.

Luffy let out a quiet breath, relaxed again. Even if everyone else seemed to be thinking this was some groundbreaking, incredulous news, Zoro didn't care. And that meant that it didn't matter if Luffy did, either. Because if it was something he always heeded, it was his first mate's judgment.

So Luffy shrugged.


	3. Familiarity, Zoro POV

**Familiarity (Zoro POV)**

**family / friendship**

**Spoilers for episode 94.**

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><p>After all his years involved in bounty hunting, Zoro had immediately been able to identify that mark, the symbol of the Whitebeard Pirates. With this fire-related power, the only likely candidate would be…<p>

"Ace! It's Ace!" Luffy squealed, confirming his guess.

That man was Fire Fist Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. And for Luffy to actually know him by name, he could be nothing less than close friend or family.

They watched as the man stopped the Marines with a single move.

Then: "You never change, Luffy."

Definitely a close relationship.

Zoro listened with a bit of surprise to how Luffy immediately took Fire Fist's advice and turned around, starting to run away from the Marines. He could count the times his captain had let someone else handle an enemy on one hand, and the majority of those was the times Zoro had asked him to. In other words, this was someone whom Luffy believed in enough to let him take care of things for him, and also trusted enough to leave the protection of his crew members to. Quite a feat, that.

As they ran in what Zoro assumed was the general direction of the harbor, the crew immediately assaulted their captain with questions.

"Who was that, Luffy?"

"Is it someone you know?"

Luffy's smile was blinding as he replied: "Yeah. He's my brother!"

That simple statement explained everything. And that was all fine by Zoro.


	4. Meeting Straw Hat part 1, Smoker POV

**Meeting Straw Hat, part 1 of 2 (Smoker POV)**

**general / humor**

**Spoilers for episode 48.**

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><p>"You got him, Commander Smoker!" Gendou exclaims, making his usual assumptions.<p>

I rub my hands to get rid of the imaginary dirt, shaking my head. "Use your eyes, Sergeant. That obviously wasn't Straw Hat." Because if a man with a B 30,000,000 bounty is that weak, then the standards of the East Blue pirates have lowered beyond acceptable. And then I'd need a transfer.

"But…" my subordinate starts, but I shut him up with a look. I swear, sometimes even my cigars aren't enough to deal with the naivety of some people. It's a wonder how they even survive a day.

My thoughts are interrupted as a blur of red, yellow, and blue runs past, and as it slows down to a halt, I realize that it's a kid. A tall, gangly kid, but a kid nonetheless. He spins around, seemingly in search for something, and it takes him a good while to notice us standing here. When he does, he lets out a joyous shout and runs up to us wearing the most ridiculous grin on his face.

_Thin, light, probably fast and lithe in a fight. No visible weapons, unless he's hiding something in that hat. Not much muscular strength, but the state of his knuckles shows that he can – and has – packed a punch. Eyes show no caution, no hesitation, no fear. Confident – or just stupid?_

"Hey! You guys know the way to the execution platform? I'm lost!" His voice is a sunny as his face, cheerful to the point that I wonder if he's younger than I initially thought. He's practically bouncing on the soles of his feet where he stands, his eyes going everywhere at once and yet nowhere at all. Just looking at him is giving me a headache. I take a drag of my cigars, hoping it'll go away.

Gendou takes it upon himself to answer when I don't.

"It's not really a touristy spot, kid. Why would you want to go there?"

"I want to see it. The place where the Pirate King died." His tone is that of stating the obvious, yet completely free from malice. But his words make his eyes flicker with new emotion—an intensity that wasn't there before. It gives him a more mature look, and I'm suddenly not so sure about my judgment of his age anymore. When neither of us says anything, the kid's face clouds over with disappointment.

"What, you don't know?" Then he shrugs. "Whatever, I'll find it myself." And he sets off to leave.

"Wait," I say before I can stop and think better of it. "Look where the smoke points."

It's silly, but the kid rejoices at the sight of my arrow of smoke pointing him in the right direction, and he runs off with exclamations of thanks and a return of that ridiculous smile. I refuse to dwell on it, deeming it my good deed of the day. I turn to my subordinate, who immediately straightens up.

"Get me a copy of Straw Hat's wanted poster. It's time to get this show on the road."

"Right away, sir!"

-.-.-.-.-

It's the kid.

That kid was Straw Hat, the highest bounty in East Blue.

Fuck.

I stare at the printed wanted poster in my hand, disbelief temporary clogging my senses. There he is, straw hat and all, still wearing that ridiculous grin of his. Monkey D. Luffy, the man who joined up with that despicable Pirate Hunter and took down the other high-bounties of the sea, thus earning an outrageously high first bounty for himself. He sure didn't look the part.

_Devil's fruit?_

I lit myself a third cigar and breathed in deep, letting the poster fall to my desk. It doesn't matter how the pirate looks or what he has, because I'm taking him down regardless. And I know where to find him.


	5. A Captain's Intuition, Coby POV

**A Captain's Intuition (Coby POV)**

**friendship / humor**

**Spoilers for episode 313.**

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><p><em>It's strange<em>, I thought. _Strange how someone's intuition can be that spot on_. But I shouldn't be surprised—this is Luffy-san we're talking about after all. But how did he know?

He had never heard of Roronoa Zoro before, despite his reputation as a cold-blooded demon that killed for money. At the time, I was beyond horrified at the mere thought of encountering this vicious killer in the flesh. I tried with all my might to stop Luffy-san from going where that man was held in capture, but, as anything when it comes to him, he didn't care whatever I said. When we got there, I was scared out of my wits – almost as scared as I had been of Alvida-sama, no, _Alvida_ – but even I'll admit that he didn't look like a monster at least. Especially not when Rika-chan sneaked in there to feed him.

Soon after that, Luffy-san decided that he wanted Zoro-san in his pirate crew. He was hell-bent on getting his will through, even after Zoro-san's initial refusal. Somehow, in that short amount of time since they met, Luffy-san had decided that he wanted Zoro-san – and no one else – to be that first member of his crew. He had already deemed him a good guy in his mind. Did he know already, back then, I wonder? Could that first intuition already tell how Zoro-san soon would become the perfect right hand man for him?

I've heard a lot of stories about them over the past year, and listened to them with great interest. Their involvement in the civil war in Alabasta followed by that suspiciously high bounty raise (does that mean that Luffy-san was the one who took down the Shichibukai?), how Zoro-san faced Hawk-Eye Mihawk and _survived_, and then this outrageous rumor that the men I heard it from weren't even sure if they believe it themselves, something about an island in the sky. And now this, burning a World Government flag and basically flattening _Enies Lobby_ of all things to the ground. I don't know the whole story, and Vice-Admiral Garp has told us to not trust everything we hear in the official reports ("But it's very important that you don't tell them I said this, or Sengoku will have my rice cakes again!"), but it seems that Luffy-san did it for the sake of a crew member. That sounds exactly like him.

When I met them again in Water 7 a few days ago, the two of them were so different, yet exactly the same. Their trust in each other, solidified by almost a year of companionship, rang so loud and true, obvious like the sun in the sky. Zoro-san wasn't there when we arrived, but it didn't take long until he appeared, plowing through our soldiers like they were ants. He immediately joined up with Luffy-san as Helmeppo and I took them on, and they had each other's backs in a quiet understanding.

As I recovered from my frustratingly easy defeat, and told them who I was, I realized that Roronoa Zoro didn't scare me anymore. Intimidate me, definitely, but I wasn't afraid. Seeing that he had stood by his promise to Luffy-san during the whole time we had been apart reassured me that he was a good man in his own way. And I'm sure that he remembered Helmeppo, even if he claimed not to. He and Luffy-san just have that odd sense of humor… or at least that's what I told Helmeppo afterwards.

Vice-Admiral Garp mentioned it later, when we left for the ship:

"Interesting choice, that swordsman fellow," he'd said, and then grinned in that tell-tale way of his. "As to be expected from my grandson! Hahaha!" I could only agree.

Seeing the two of them again was both nostalgic and reassuring. Now I know where they're headed for the future, and what I'll have to do to keep up with them. They're inspiring like that. Above anything, my acquaintance with them has taught me not to judge people by first impressions.

And at the same time, to always do.


	6. The Price of Loyality, Inazuma POV

**The Price Of Loyality (Inazuma POV)**

**friendship / angst**

**Spoilers for episode 448.**

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><p>"Inazuma."<p>

Yes. I know exactly what you need me to do, Iva-san.

I immediately turn and run up the stairs, snipping the walls with my scissors as I pass. I don't stop until I reach the top and turn to face the ribbons of wall that I just created. After years and years of my ability, I don't even have to think about what I'm doing to get it right. My lines are never anything less than perfectly straight, and my creations are always most pleasing to the eye. That's just how it is.

I'm about to start cutting the floor to seal the opening when I hear Gerry's voice behind me.

"But Iva-sama is still down there!"

"Never mind that," I reply curtly. "Get off this floor."

He does, and I stick the tips of my scissors into the floor. I make quick work of the concrete stones, only stopping when there's a couple of inches left. A few inches left of the opening that will ensure Iva-san's safety, rather than lock him in there. I bite my tongue until I can feel the coppery taste of blood in my mouth, pray that I won't come to regret this, and then I cut the remaining stone.

As I step back after making the last few arrangements, I can watch the opening close before me.

"Iva-san... please survive," I whisper, clutching the glass of wine in my hand.

_That summer when you found me, I was young and naïve. I was in that age when you think that no goal is impossible to reach—that you'll be able to accomplish anything you put your mind into, no matter how big. The age when you try to do everything by yourself, and when every part of you screams that you deserve more recognition for it. I worked hard for that recognition too, mind, but to no avail. _

_You see, I had been politically active ever since my school years, but all projects I had been involved in had eventually ebbed out into nothing. People lost interest and left, and then it was only me. It was frustrating, and had led me into taking things in my own hands. If people weren't going to stay around me, I'd go to them. So as soon as I finished school, I started travelling all the cities I could afford, raising money and arranging demonstrations, starting foundations and petitions. I wrote letters to officials, spent hours sitting outside of their office buildings to make sure they received it, and so it went._

_That day, I was collecting names for a petition against the new law passed down by the government .I wasn't doing particularly well, but I refused to give up. You were the largest person I had ever seen. It was impossible to miss you and your purple hair, purple make-up, purple everything. Even back then, you were striking. When you looked at me, it felt as though you looked right through me._

_The first thing you did was to insult me and my hard work._

"_Vyou don't really know what vyou're doing, are vyou?"_

"_That's none of your business," I'd snapped and turned away, because I knew you were right. I was fighting in the dark, had always been. I was alone, a soldier without his army._

_But you didn't care about my dismissal._

"_I like vyour spirit, Boy," you said instead. Then you held out your large hand. "Vi'm Ivankov. Let's be friends."_

_A few hours and a fair amount of wine later, I was putty in your hands._

_Things only got better after that._

_I found my place in the Revolutionary Army, the strongest organization opposing the government. With your help and guidance, I realized that some things couldn't be done if you didn't have other people to fall back on. That some things need to be done in group—and that together, we can be next to invincible._

_You gave me the Choki Choki Fruit for my protection, which soon became a large part of me. You gave me a tangible purpose with my life through my work as a Revolutionary. You gave me an outlet for my most hidden side, my female self, which made me feel complete for the first time in my life. _

_You gave me everything._

_And ever since, I have never doubted you. _

Yes, Iva-san. I have always believed in you, always followed your orders, and always been loyal to you — no matter what. I'm not about to stop now. But nothing can make me leave this spot until you're here to join me.

_/ You're stupid. /_

Am I really? What if he needs me again?

_/ Iva-san knows what he's doing!_ / Ina argues. / _He wouldn't take unnecessary risks! /_

I know. But if he's going to risk his life because he finds it necessary to help Luffy-kun escape, I'm not going to let him do it on his own. I'm going to stand here as long as I have to. After all, there's no point for me to go back to Kamabakka Kingdom without him.

_/ I still think that you're stupid. /_

I'm not stupid—I'm being reasonable. You won't be able to get out anymore either, you know. The only reason you can do that now is because of Iva-san. Are you really prepared to go back to life as it used to be?

_/ Wow. You really need to cheer up, 'Zuma. You're starting to make me worried as well. /_

My inner dialogue with my female self is interrupted as the stone barrier starts crumbling in front of me. Oh good, Iva-san made it through. I should have known not to worry.

"**POISON ROAD!**"

No.

No, no, please no…

Even as the purple silhouette of Warden Magellan appears and my attacks are rendered useless against his poison, my whole body covered in the fatal liquid, all I can think of is that Iva-san lost. My partner and savior lost.

And then everything goes black.


End file.
